President Bola Tinubu and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, called for a reform of the justice sector, urging the judiciary to address systemic challenges and deliver justice to Nigerians.
Tinubu emphasized the need for critical reforms in the judiciary to address systemic challenges and ensure justice for Nigerians. He also demanded accountability from the judiciary.
Speaking at the National Summit on Justice 2024, held at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, emphasized the urgency for policy innovation and legislative action to create a justice system that serves both current citizens and future generations.
“I accordingly urge the leadership of all justice sector institutions to seek a new direction and focus on outcomes by creating a justice system that truly responds to the needs of our citizens – one that serves Nigerians now and for generations to come,” Tinubu said while declaring open the national summit.
Tinubu stressed the need for collaboration among the executive, legislature, and judiciary to acknowledge challenges and find solutions to problems facing Nigeria.
In a statement signed by the VP’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Tinubu urged the judiciary to align its activities with the tenets of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly focusing on inclusivity, fairness, rule of law, and anti-corruption.
He outlined preliminary measures taken to reposition the judiciary, including increased funding, appointment of Supreme Court Justices, and approval of increased salaries for judges.
Despite progress in the justice sector, Tinubu emphasized the urgent need for a functional justice system capable of supporting economic growth, guaranteeing human rights, and providing security and justice to all.
Senate President Akpabio also underscored the commitment of the National Assembly to a more vibrant and transformative justice system. He assured participants that the legislature would play its part by deliberating on the outcome of the Summit to enshrine the outcomes into law.
Akpabio emphasized the need for critical recommendations for amendment or review to be highlighted and sent to the National Assembly to ensure a speedy and fair dispensation of justice.
He also addressed issues such as delays and backlogs in the courts, suggesting the adoption of digital tools within the judicial processes to enhance speed and transparency.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, stressed the necessity for holistic reform in the justice sector to meet the aspirations and yearnings of the general public.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), emphasized the significance of the revised draft national policy on justice, while the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), commended leaders in the justice sector for convening the Summit, noting that reforming practices and mechanisms for operations in the sector was critical to the overall economic transformation of the country.
In his keynote address, former Chief Justice of Kenya, Dr. Willy Mutunga, argued that developing an African-based jurisprudence would restore people’s confidence in the judiciary.
